It is entirely possible for a product, especially in the early stages of a startup, to exist and deliver value to customers without ever having a formal name. This often happens when a solution evolves organically through custom client work or a series of interconnected tools that address a core problem rather than a single, distinct offering.
The screen glowed, mocking Kofi with its single, blank "Product Name" field. It was 11:47 PM in Accra, a Tuesday night that felt more like 3 AM, and the application for the Ghana Startup Awards was due in thirteen minutes. He’d spent the last hour trying to distill Asenda’s output into something that fit, something that felt like a discrete product. Instead, he saw years of custom-built automation, client-specific AI agents, and a growing library of internal tools that had solved complex operational bottlenecks for businesses from Lagos to Berlin. How do you name a solution that isn't one thing, but a fluid, responsive capability? He clicked "Save Draft" again, the page refreshing to show the glaring empty box. Would they even consider an entry that listed "various automation tools and AI workflows" in place of a proper product? The thought of all the late nights, the customer wins, the revenue, potentially overlooked because of a nomenclature problem, was a bitter pill. He scrolled to the bottom of the page, eyeing the "Submit Application" button with dread.
The Organic Problem of Unnamed Value
Many early-stage founders and product builders find themselves in Kofi’s position. They might start by solving a very specific problem for one client, then adapt that solution for another, and another. Over time, a robust set of capabilities emerges, often greater than the sum of its parts, but without a clear, marketable label. This organic growth can be incredibly efficient for validating demand and building revenue with limited runway. However, it creates a challenge when you need to communicate what you do to a wider audience, apply for awards, or even explain it concisely to potential investors. The tools are effective, but the overarching "product" remains elusive, a dynamic system rather than a static entity.
When Custom Solutions Resist Categorization
The resistance to a single product name often comes from the very nature of custom solutions. When you're building AI tools and automation for specific business contexts, the value is in the adaptation, the bespoke fit. For example, an AI agent built to manage inventory for an e-commerce store in Johannesburg might share underlying technology with another agent optimizing logistics for a manufacturing client in Germany, but their outward-facing "product" functionality is distinct. Each client engagement helps refine the core capabilities, but the "product" itself evolves as a series of integrated services rather than a monolithic software package. This flexibility is a strength in problem-solving, but a weakness in conventional marketing. It demands a different way of thinking about your offering.
Moving from Capabilities to a Coherent Offering
For Kofi, the solution wasn't to force a name onto something that didn't fit, but to articulate the outcome and the methodology that tied his diverse solutions together. Instead of listing "AI-powered inventory management" or "automated logistics optimization," he eventually focused on the transformative impact Asenda had on operational efficiency and decision-making for its clients. The name of the "product" became less important than the repeatable process and the measurable results. This shift in perspective allowed him to frame Asenda's work not as a collection of disparate tools, but as a strategic partner in deploying practical AI and automation that drives tangible business value. The final application, submitted just under the wire, articulated the impact first, and allowed the custom solutions to serve as proof points. Efua’s borrowed comparison obscures the problem. Her engineering hire is at risk.
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